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While a public announcement still has not been made, the New York Times is reporting that “a person with direct knowledge of the festival’s plans” has confirmed that both Guns N’ Roses and LCD Soundsystem will reunite for performances next year at Coachella. The Times reports that both Axl Rose and Slash will be part of the Guns N’ Roses lineup, though it’s unclear what other band members will participate. Rose is expected to make a statement about the reunion on Jimmy Kimmel Live next week. LCD Soundsystem, the Times reports, will play publicly for the first time since a much-hyped “goodbye” show at Madison Square Garden in 2011.

This year’s Kennedy Center Honors performance aired Tuesday night, and Aretha Franklin stole the show with her performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” — a song co-written by honoree Carole King and popularized by Franklin in a 1967 hit single. During the performance, President Barack Obama was seen wiping tears from his eyes — and then Franklin, 73, brought the house to its feet when she stood from her perch at the piano to drop her fur coat and sing the song’s ecstatic conclusion. (Billboard)

Tributes to the late Lemmy Kilmister have been pouring in from all corners of the music world — including from Dave Grohl. The Foo Fighters frontman and onetime Lemmy bandmate (in the group Probot) got a new Motörhead tattoo to remember Lemmy by. (Billboard)

If, like millions of Americans have since 1973, you’re planning to spend the year’s final moments watching the Times Square ball drop on Dick Clark‘s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (now hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy), you can prep for your big night by perusing the list of songs you’ll see performed by 21 different acts — including Alessia Cara doing “Here,” Elle King doing two songs including her hit “Ex’s and Oh’s,” and Walk the Moon telling the world once again to “Shut Up and Dance.”

Beyoncé and Rihanna are reportedly set to join Coldplay at the halftime show of Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7. “Chris [Martin] and his band know they’re not typically as showy as recent performers like Katy Perry and Madonna,” says a source. (NME)

Babes in Toyland bassist Maureen Herman says she was asked to leave the band after writing an essay in support of Jackie Fox — the Runaways member who said, earlier this year, that she was raped at a party in the 1970s as her Runaways bandmates and others looked on. Babes in Toyland’s Lori Barbero, however, says the reasons for Herman’s departure are much more complex. “The relationship didn’t work out and we moved on, and that’s really the bottom line,” Barbero told City Pages.

Rare and early Smiths tracks have emerged on a Morrissey fan site. Below, listen to an early demo of “Never Had No One Ever.” (NME)

The most stylish man of 2015, according to GQ voters? It’s Kanye West, who won the final round of a bracket where he was pitted against model Lucky Blue Smith, having beat Jared Leto in the semifinals.

Need a name for your band? Musician Phil Elverum (The Microphones, Mount Eerie) will come up with a name for the modest fee of $35. (Stereogum)

Yes your number 1 is also my number 1! I cannot stop listening to Hamilton and it is incredible. Now if only I could see it live. Rolling Stone had it as their #8 album and I was very happy to finally see it on a list of top albums of the year, as it should be.

tomshipley

I’m awful at keeping track of new albums I like, but after consulting Spotify, I did like the albums from FJM, Destroyer, Sufjan Stevens and Belle and Sebastian (not sure if the B&S album was 2015 or 2014). Listened to the Grimes album a couple times and liked it, but have to go back to it. It didn’t “click” yet.

It’s quite something. On your second time through, I highly recommend checking out the genius.com lyric annotations, which are very in-depth and informative. Even Lin-Manuel Miranda himself pops in from time to time to confirm, deny, and contribute.